Envelop.



PATENTED OCT. 25, 1904.

B. F. MOHLER.

ENVELOP.

APPLIGATION FILED 1320.29, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

@mi h Non:

UNTTED STATES Patented October 25, 1904.-.

BENJAMINYF. MOHLER, OF NEVARK, OHIO.

ENVELOP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 773,296, dated OCtOlOeI 25, 1904.

Application filed December 29, 1903. Serial No. 187,048. (No model.)

To (all whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, BENJAMIN F. MoHLnR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Lickingand State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Securing' Devices for Envelops; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a securing device for envelops; and it consists of certain novel features of combination and construction of parts, as will be hereinafter clearly set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

The prime object of my invention, among others, is to provide a securing device of such character as will prevent the envelop from being re-opened without injuring the envelop to such au extent that it will be impaired for future use, and thereby show that it has been opened after having been closed or sealed.

A further object of my invention is to provide a securing device of such character as will reliably hold the flap of the envelop against the body portion thereof and at the same time permit said flap to be instantly disposed in a locked position at the expense of a minimum amount of labor.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter made clearly apparent, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part of this application, and in which- Figure l shows a perspective view of my envelop with the flap open ready to be folded down in its operative or closed position. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the envelop in a folded or closed position. Fig. 3 is a section of Fig. 2 on line 5 5. IFig. 4 is asection of Fig. Q on line 6 6. Fig. 5 is a detail, partly in section, showing the internal construction of my securing device for the envelop-flap.

For convenience the various details and cooperating' accessories will be referred to by numerals, the same numeral applying to a similar part throughout the several views, and, referring to the numerals on the drawings, l designates the body portion of my envelop, while 2 indicates the end flaps adapted -disposed in a locked position.

to be folded over on the body-section, and 3 the bottom flap designed to be folded up against the body portion l and the interposed edges of the end sections '2, as will be readily understood by reference to Figs. 2 and 3. I prefer to make the end flaps 2 of suflicient length to enable their free ends to overlap each other slightly, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2, whereby the receiving-socket 4. may be passed through a suitable aperture in said overlapped ends, and thus be disposed in proper position to receive the anchoringhead 5 of the locking device carried by the end of the flap 3. It will be understood that I also provide a closureeiiap 3, as is common, said closure-flap having an aperture 3b, designed to fit over the protruding end of the socket member 4L, whereby the closure-flap will be disposed in a locked position between the overlapped ends of the end sections 2 and lthe eXtreme overlapping end of the bottom flap-section 3, which latter, it is understood, carries the locking device secured thereto in any preferred way.

By reference to Fig. 3 the relationship of the parts just described is fully set forth when The receiving-socket 4. is formed by bending a piece of sheet metal uponitself so as to provide the parallel plates 5/ and 6, each of said plates having their central portions struck up and provided with a registering aperture to receive the head 5, which is so formed that it will be provided with a neck portion of less diameter than the head-section 5, and in order to secure said head and hold it after it is entered in the socket 4 I locate between the telescopically-struck-up portions of the plates 5' and 6 the substantially U-shaped lockingspring 8, which consists of a piece of suitable spring metal bent upon itself so that the free ends thereof will be brought near each other, and when thus bent it is disposed between said plates 5/ and 6, and the opening between the branches of the member 3 is only of suicient size to receive the conical end of the head 5, which by pressure may be forced through the same, when the spring tension of the member 8 will draw the free ends thereof together, thus disposing said member 8 in close engage- IOC) ment with the neck-section 7, and prevent the head from being withdrawn, and since the membeiI 8 is securely disposed beyond reach between the plates and 6 it cannot be tampered with, and the head will therefore be absolutely and reliably locked in position and cannot be again withdrawn without prying the edges or flanges 5 and away from the head, and thereby destroy the future usefulness of the device. )fly locking device may therefore be very easily disposed in a locked position, but cannot be again unlocked without destroying its future efficiency. IV hen, therefore, my envelop provided with my improved locking device has once been disposed in alockcd position, it cannot again be opened without cutting' or tearing the edges of the envelop in the usual manner.

In addition to securing the central portion of the end liap 3 it will at times be desirable to secure the outer edges thereof, which I accomplish by means of the device illustrated in section in Fig. (l, which consists of the flange or base member 10, having longitudinally and outwardly directed annular collar edges split in quarters, fifths, or any other preferred proportions, whereby all of the sections 1l of the collar may be bent outward away from each other and clenched down upon and parallel with the base member l0, thereby engaging the end flap-section 2 and a contiguous part of the llap 3, the parts being disposed substantially in the same manner as a common eyelet.

My securing device, as illustrated in detail in Fig. 3, will be useful for a great variety of purposes where a permanent locking device is desired.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a safety form of securing' device for envelops which will be found useful for a great variety of purposes and may be disposed in a locked position and cannot be unlocked, but the envelop must be opened in the usual manner by cutting or tearing away the end thereof, as is common.

Believing' that the advantages and manner further reference to the details is deemed unnecessary, and while I have described the preferred combination and construction of parts I desire to comprehend in this application all such substantial equivalents and substitutes as may be considered as falling fairly within the scope of my invention.

IVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a securing device for envelops, the combination with a locking device carried by one portion of the envelop and having' a neck portion and a conical head, of a receiving'- socket formed by bending a piece of sheet metal upon itself, providing the parallel plates 5' and 6, each of said plates having centrallydisposed registering openings therein, earried by another part of the envelop, a U-shaped spring-actuated locking member secured between said plates in juxtaposition to said openings, adapted to receive and secure said head, as set forth.

2. In a securing device for envelops, the combination with a locking device carried by one portion of the envelop, of a receivingsocket formed by bending a piece of sheet metal upon itself, providing the parallel plates 5 and 6, each of said plates having a portion of its surface struck up and provided with registering openings, carried by another part of the envelop, a U-shaped spring-actuated locking member secured between said plates in registration with said openings to receive and secure said head, said locking member having' a portion of the metal removed from the inner edge of the central portion thereof whereby said member may be made more flexible, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specilication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BENJAMIN F. MOHLER. I/Vitnesses C. A. Rumen, WM. HowAirri-L 

